Storage tank



June 1-5, 1943.

W. BLACK STORAGE TANK Filed July 31, 1941 Q i -1- -1 1 J Fr 4 v 6 WM 6 M 6 J Y Z a 7 a w n 7 2 m 2 9. K 5 f 4 a 5 5 9 B9 0 w 2 0 8 INVENTOR wilber'i Black 53 Y m I M ATTORNEVYS Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STORAGE TANK Wilbert Black, New rleans,La. Application July 31, 1941, Serial N0. 434,790

6 Claims.

This invention relates to storage tanks, and more particularly to storage tanks adapted to hold volatile liquids subject to evaporation.

An object of this invention is to provide a tank for the purpose specified, in which a flexible but complete seal will be placed about the volatile material to be stored to prevent its evaporation.

A further object is to provide a tank in which volatile liquids, such as gasoline, having a specific gravity less than that of water, may be safely and properly stored. In the event that any volatile liquids having a specific gravity the same as, or greater than that of water, such as alcohol, are to be stored, then some other material may be used as the seal. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a tank in which the condition of the materials may be readily inspected, and from which a portion of the stored fluid may be readily removed without exposing the remaining portion to the air and the danger of evaporation.

A further object is to provide, in connection witha tank of the character described, a mechanism whereby the supply of volatile liquids may be increased or depleted at will.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view, in elevation, of a tank embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing the manner in which the tank may be filled or emptied.

I provide a tank body Ill which may be of any desired shape but for obvious reasons is preferably round or cylindrical in shape. Welded to the inside of the tank is an inverted conical shaped roof 12 having at its center portion an opening [4 terminating in a funnel or pipe member l6.

Extending through the roof member 12 isa pipe 18 carrying a cap 20 by which access may be had to the liquid within the tank when necessary. A flange or ring 22 may be placed around the top of the tank for reinforcing purposes and to prevent distortion. Conventional glass gages 24, 26, 28 and 30 are provided so that the condition of the fluid within the tank may at all times be visible from without.

Leading from the top of the tank at 32 is a pipe 34 for inserting or withdrawing fluid from within the tank. Leading from the bottom of the tank at 36 is a pipe 38 adapted to draw OK or supply sealing fluid to the tank.

The funnel-shaped roof l-2 of the tank [0 is adapted to hold water 4!] and is provided with an overflow port 42. Positioned above the roof I2 is a float-operated valve 44 leading from the Water supply pipe 46 and operated by the floating ball 48 on the rod 50. This valve is. adapted to maintain water or other sealing fluid in the funnel-shaped roof at a level with the overflow 42. Quite obviously, the sealing fluid, having a greater specific gravity than the volatile liquid being stored, will flow down the pipe 16 and force the volatile fluid upwardly against the underside of the roof l2.

The pipe 34 leads to the pipe 52 through the valve 54 to the pressure side of the pump 56. From the suction side of the pump 56 the pipe 53 leads through the valve 60 to a supply or discharge pipe 62. The pipe 33 leads to the pipe which'runs through the valve. 66 to the pressure side of the pump- 68, and the pipe 18 leads from the suction side of the pump 68 through the valve 72 to a discharge or storage source pipe 14.

The pipes 52 and 58 are cross-connected by the pipe 16 through the valve 18, and the pipe 88 through the valve 82. The pipes 64 and it! are similarly cross-connected by the pipe 8E3 through the valve 86, and the pipe 88 throughthe valve 90. Both pumps 56 and Gil-may be operated by a common source of power,.such as the motor 92.

When the tank is to be first used, the cap 2G is removed and the entire tank filled with water. Thereafter the cap 20 may be replaced and hermetically sealed. The valves 18 and 82 are then closed and valves 54 and Bil opened, at the same time valves 66 and 12 are closed and valves86 and 50 opened. The pumps may then be started and gasoline or other volatile fluid will flow through the pipe 62, the valve 60, the pipe 58, the pump 56, the valve 54, the pipes 52 and 34, into the tank It. At the same time water will be drawn through the pipes 38, 64, valve 90, pipe 10, pump 68, valve 86, pipe 84, into the pipe 14, where it may be discharged or carried to a supply tank for re-use. Any variation in the amount of volatile fluid and sealing fluid will be compensated for by the operation of the valve 44 and the overflow 42.

As shown in Fig. 1, water or sealing fluid covers the end 94 of the pipe l6, while the volatile fluid 9B is sealed in the space above it and has no opportunity, therefore, to evaporate.

When it is desired to draw volatile fluid from the tank, a procedure directly opposite to that used in filling it is followed. The valves 60 and 54 are closed, while the valves 18 and 82 are opened,

Similarly, the valves 86 and 90 are closed and the valves 66 and 12 opened. It will be apparent that as the volatile fluid is drawn through the pipe 34, pipe 16, pump 56, pipe 80, into the pipe 62, water will be forced from thereserve tank through the pipe 14, pipe 10, pump 68, pipe 64, pipe .38, into the bottom of the tank to displace the fuel drawn. Any variations occurring are taken care of by the valve 44 and the overflow 42.

The provision and arrangement of valved conduit means and the power driven pumps cause the flow of liquids by a positive pumping action and does not require reversing the operationof the pumps.

It will of course be possible to eliminate the valves in connection with the pipe 68 and to use this pump solely for the purpose of withdrawing water through the pipe 36, allowing the withdrawn water to be replaced by water through the pipe 46. However, with such construction it would not be possible to re-use the Water unless an additional pump or piping was installed.

I claim:

1. A storage tank for volatile fluids, including a chamber, means for withdrawing from, or adding to, said volatile fluid at the top of said chamber, means for withdrawing from, or adding, nonvolatile fluid at the bottom of said chamber, a pair of synchronized pumps adapted to add nonvolatile fluid as the volatile fluid is drawn 01f, or to add volatile fluid as non-volatile fluid is drawn off, and means for adding or withdrawing nonvolatile fluid to compensate for any unevenness in the flow of said fluids, said means including a head of non-volatile fluid automatically maintained at a predetermined height and a pipe from said head extending into the bottom of said tank.

2. A storage tank for volatile fluids, comprising a body member, an inverted cone-shaped roof on said member, a pipe extending from the central portion of said roof into said body member to a point adjacent its bottom, means for supplying volatile fluids to said body member said means comprising a pair of synchronized pumps adapted to add volatile fluid and at the same time withdraw non-volatile fluid, and means for maintaining a supply of non-volatile fluids to said cone-shaped roof.

3. In a storage tank for volatile liquids, including a chamber, means for supplying a nonvolatile sealing liquid to the bottom of said chamber, means for supplying volatile liquid to the top of said chamber, means for controlling the amount of liquids in said chamber, said first, second and third means including 'a pair of pumps, a series of pipes and valves, adapted upon the opening of certain of said valves and the closing of others to cause said pumps to draw volatile liquid from said chamber and to force non-volatile liquid into said chamber, and adapted upon the reversing of said valves, to draw non-volatile liquid from said chamber and force volatile fluid into said chamber.

4. In a storage tank for volatile liquids, including a chamber, means for supplying a nonvolatile sealing liquid to the bottom of said chamber, means for supplying volatile liquid to the top of said chamber, means for controlling the amount of liquids in said chamber, said first, second and third means including a pair of pumps, a series of pipes and valves, adapted upon the opening of certain of said valves and the closing of others, to cause said pumps to draw volatile liquid from said chamber and to force non-volatile liquid into said chamber, and upon the reversing of said valves to draw non-volatile liquid from said chamber and force volatile liquid into said chamber, and additional means for adding to or withdrawing non-volatile liquid to compensate for any unevenness in said pumps.

5. The combination with a storage tank for volatile liquid, of valved conduit means leading to the interior of the tank at the top thereof, a pump connected with said conduit means operable to cause the passage of volatile liquid to or from the tank, a second valved conduit means leading to the interior of the tank at the bottom thereof, a pump connected with the second conduit means operable to cause the passage of nonvolatile liquid to or from the tank, power means connected with said pumps to operate them simultaneously, and additional means for adding non-volatile liquid to the bottom of the tank to compensate for any unevenness in the flow caused by the operation of said pumps and thus maintain the tank filled to capacity at all times.

6. The combination with a storage tank for volatile liquid, of apparatus for delivering volatile liquid into the tank at the top thereof while withdrawing non-volatile liquid from the tank at the bottom thereof, and vice versa, and means for adding non-volatile liquid to the tank at the bottom thereof to compensate for any inequalities in the amounts of the liquids being delivered or withdrawn, said means including a reservoir at the top of said tank having a conduit extending into the tank to a point near the bottom thereof, and an inlet float-valve operable in response to the rise and fall of the liquid in the reservoir.

WILBERT BLACK. 

